Saon Kastrides
'''Saon Kastrides '''was the last and greatest wizard king of Avar, and, along with Ibu Rashid and his magician al-Maliqi, the leader of the alliance that overthrew the gods in the Divine War. He inherited the throne from his father, Eldaris Kastrides, at the age of sixteen, and soon after married Fatimah Mirimis el-Ayyad, daughter of Ibm Ayyad and the god Mirimis and the brother to Qaabi king Ibm Rashid. He fell madly in love with his fiancée, but she was stolen by the god Basúl, prompting Kastrides to call his brother-in-law Rashid and the great Qaab'i magician el-Maliqi to war against the gods. Kastrides successfully led his army to victory over the Gods, and conquered the Mount; however, his love Fatimah had already been killed by Basúl, whom he chained to the Fires of Night for all eternity. He died in the wastes of farthest Jörn, having driven himself mad and failed to bring his love back to life; el-Maliqi eventually put the madman out of his misery and constructed him a great shrine in the Jörnish mountains. Biography Saon Kastrides was born in the Great Palace of Avar as the second son of Endaris Kastrides and Zuhan Wa of the Xan. His elder brother, Aristeros, fell sickly at a young age, leaving Saon as the clear heir. After being home-schooled in a variety of subjects up through the age of fourteen, he became one of the youngest pupils ever at the University of Beyd el-Zahman, where he met Fardh Maliq, who would come to be known as el-Maliqi; the two both shot through their classes and challenged each other to be better and better. It was also at the University where Kastrides caught the attention of Qaab'i king Ibm Ayyad, who was impressed by his magical ability and his strength and introduced him to his daughter, Fatimah. Kastrides become instantly infatuated and asked her father for her hand in marriage. Ayyad was at first cautious but soon accepted, and Fatimah was pledged to Kastrides. The two became inseparable and Kastrides brought her home with him to Avar after completing his education. He would only be home for a year before his father fell ill and died and he was forced to take over the throne. Ayyad also died not long after by divine plot, and Kastrides' now half-brother Rashid ascended to the Qaab'i throne. The two young monarchs began an alliance that was at first uneasy and soon grew warm. Kastrides, Fatimah, Rashid, and el-Maliqi all grew close to one another. At the age of eighteen, Kastrides officially married Fatimah, inviting not only the courts of all of the great kingdoms of the world but also the gods themselves. Theirs was the "most spectacular wedding of all time," and Fatimah looked so beautiful that the god Basúl immediately became infatuated with her as well. He kidnapped her from her wedding bed that night after she and Kastrides consummated their marriage and took her back to the Mount.